Chapter 20: Mother and Daughter

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

After Nanny Gui left, Shen Qing walked out from behind the screen.

She walked up to Ren Wanyun’s side and leaned against her mother. She could not hide the anger in her voice. “Mother, Shen Miao is unwilling to give up on the Duke of Ding. What should I do?”

Among the three branches of the Shen family, the First branch was undoubtedly the most powerful. If Shen Miao begged Shen Xin to marry her to the Duke of Ding, it was very likely to happen. However, she also liked the Duke of Ding. If Shen Miao married him, what would she be?

The Duke of Ding was such a handsome person. How could he be taken by a stupid and ignorant person like Shen Miao? Every time she thought of this, Shen Qing felt extremely indignant.

“Don’t worry, no one in the Shen family can compete with you.” Ren Wanyun said, “Shen Miao is stupid and there’s nothing to be afraid of. I naturally have a way to make her unable to marry the Duke of Ding. As for you…” She sighed.” Why don’t you take the people of the Autumn Water Garden more seriously? Do you really think your second sister is a good person?”

“Shen Yue?” Shen Qing frowned. “She’s also in love with the Duke of Ding? How is that possible?” Shen Qing said, “Besides, if she really likes the Duke of Ding, she is in no way qualified to be his wife.”

“You.” Ren Wanyun tapped Shen Qing’s forehead reproachfully. “How can I rest assured? Your third aunt is very wily. Back then, she and your third uncle…” As if realizing that she shouldn’t say this in front of the child, Ren Wanyun suddenly stopped. She only said,” Anyway, Shen Miao, don’t take her to heart. I naturally have a way to deal with her. ”

“Thank you, Mother,” Shen Qing said sweetly. The mother and daughter smiled.

In the Autumn Water Garden, Chen Ruoqiu was sitting at the table and writing.

She was a girl from a scholarly family and was extremely talented. Even though she was already a wife, she still read a lot. Shen Yue stood behind her, wearing a yellow satin dress. Her figure was slender, looking like a little girl.

“Mother, why did you say that to Nanny Gui just now?” After a long time, she couldn’t help but ask.

Nanny Gui had been here once, but to everyone’s surprise, not only did Chen Ruoqiu not ask Nanny Gui to stop Shen Miao from marrying the Duke of Ding, but she also asked Nanny Gui to persuade Shen Miao that the Duke of Ding was a good husband.

“Isn’t this equivalent to helping her marry the Duke of Ding?” Shen Yue complained.

Chen Ruoqiu put down the book in her hand and sighed softly. She held Shen Yue’s hand and sat down on the couch. She said gently, “Yue, didn’t I tell you that no matter what you do, especially in this house, you have to do it in a roundabout way? This way, if anything happens in the future, no one will point a finger at you.”

Shen Yue shook her head. “Mother, I don’t understand.”

Chen Ruoqiu smiled. Her daughter was gentle and talented, and she was not stupid. In the end, she was still too young. It was probably because Third Master Shen doted on her too much that she did not know the dangers in the house. Unlike when she was in the Minister’s Mansion, where there were a bunch of sisters, aunts, and concubines, none of them were easy to deal with. Therefore, after she got married, she had always tried her best to make Third Master love her.

However, it was a pity that she could not give birth to a son in the end.

Therefore, she had to educate her daughter well.

“Yue, what do you think of Shen Miao?” She asked softly.

Shen Yue thought for a moment and said, “She doesn’t know anything. She’s timid and stupid, and she’s not good with words. If not for First Uncle, I’m afraid no one would give her face. Even the daughter of a concubine looks more elegant than her.”

If anyone heard this, they would definitely be shocked because normally Shen Yue was on the best terms with Shen Miao.

“Maybe it was like this in the past.” Chen Ruoqiu shook her head and said, “But after falling into the water this time, I think Shen Miao has changed a lot.”

“Mother, why do you say that?” Shen Yue was confused.

Chen Ruoqiu did not know why she felt this way, but Chen Ruoqiu had seen many people. Compared to her second sister-in-law, who thought she was smart, she could see people more clearly. Shen Miao had indeed become smarter.

The conversation Shen Miao had with the old madam at Rongjing Hall and the way she acted were completely different from before. Could it be that the matter with the Duke of Ding had dealt her such a blow, or was it that she had the guidance of an expert?

No matter what, She could not let her guard down.

“Maybe it’s because of the Duke of Ding. But Yue, I told you before that smart women don’t deal with women. They deal with men.” Chen Ruoqiu’s voice was soft and gentle, like she was singing. “Since you’re also in love with the Duke of Ding, why do you have to put all your attention on Shen Miao? No matter how powerful your first uncle is, no man in the world will love a stupid and ignorant woman. the Duke of Ding is a prince. If he really married such a terrible woman, won’t he be a joke to the world?”

“But…” Shen Yue felt a little aggrieved.

“Listen to me. Not only do you not want to alienate Shen Miao because of this, but you also have to be friends with her like before. You have to be doubly diligent so that everyone can see your talent and beauty. The more outstanding you are, the more stupid she will look.” Chen Ruoqiu smiled as if she was chi-chatting but her words were heart-wrenching. “I asked Nanny Gui to persuade her to continue loving the Duke of Ding. The more such a stupid woman likes the Duke of Ding, the more he will hate her.”

“In that case…” Shen Yue seemed to understand.

Chen Ruoqiu stroked her head and said, “You’re a smart child, so you should understand what I mean. Therefore, you have to persuade her to continue loving the Duke of Ding and make a fool of herself in front of him. Only then can you make the Duke of Ding notice you. Even if the world wants the Duke of Ding to marry Shen Miao, as long as you can make the Duke of Ding fall in love with you, you will be the winner.”

“Mother…” Shen Yue buried her head in Chen Ruoqiu’s arms shyly. “I understand.”

Chen Ruoqiu smiled. Back then, there were many obstacles in her marriage with Third Master Shen. At that time, Third Master Shen was considered a young and talented man, and many matchmakers came to introduce girls to him.

Why did he choose her? It was because she happened to be wearing a white dress and playing the Guqin under a tree in the temple, and Third Master Shen heard it. Third Master Shen was shocked by her beauty and talent and insisted on marrying her when he returned.

Third Master Shen liked the Guqin the most and his favorite color was white.

Though so many girls were competing with her over Third Master Shen, she still managed to win at the end. It was because she knew from the beginning that she needed to deal with the man rather than the girls.